As is well known, there are various decorative building shutters designed to be installed next to building openings, such as windows. Such shutters may be constructed from a variety of materials. While many shutters are constructed as integral units, shutters assembled from modular components provide a degree of flexibility not available with the one-piece units. The length and width of such modular shutter assemblies may be varied to desirably match the size of the opening to which it is to be installed.
An example of such a modular adjustable shutter assembly constructed of plastic is shown in Foltman U.S. Pat. No. 4,251,966. The shutters disclosed in the aforementioned Foltman patent are representative of the general arrangement of components in adjustable modular shutter assemblies. Such shutter assemblies are constructed with a pair of side rails, top and bottom rails, one or more center panels that may take the form of louvers or raised panels. Depending upon its size and style, the shutter may include a center rail or center mullion disposed between adjacent upper panels and lower panels. In such assemblies, the top rail, center panels, center rail and bottom rail are captured and retained in place between the side rails with the top and bottom rails having laterally extending wings that overlie the upper and bottom edges, respectively, of the side rails. The wings may include projections or flanges that extend into the ends of the side rails and braces for maintaining the positional relationships of the components.
The length of such modular shutter assemblies is selected by varying the length of the side rails, and by varying the length of the center panels, e.g., the louver panels, inserted between the side rails. In addition, for longer shutter assemblies, the height of the top and bottom rails as well as the center mullion rail may be increased.
The width of the shutter assemblies is also adjustable by use of center panels having different widths. The widths of the top, bottom, and center rails inserted between the side rails of the shutter assembly are also changed. Thus, the width of a shutter is changed by using panels, top rails, center rails, and bottom rails of different discrete widths. The length of each of these shutter assemblies may be adjusted by varying the length of the side rails and the center panels, e.g., by cutting or trimming the side rails and the center panels to the desired length.
In spite of the degree of flexibility which has been obtained by use of such modular shutter assemblies, such assemblies utilize a single center panel located between and connected to the side rails. A plurality of such panels may be stacked one on top of the other to produce a shutter assemblies of different lengths. While shutter assemblies of varying widths have been produced by using center panels of different widths, the number of different center panels are limited. Furthermore, the ability to vary the appearance and configuration of the shutters is also limited by the use of a single center panel between the side rails.
It would be desirable, therefore, to be able to produce and assemble modular shutter assemblies having varying appearances and varying widths not limited in size by the size of individual center panels themselves. Such structures would provide even additional flexibility in the design construction and appearance of modular shutter assemblies.